Refrigerator door having a pair of sliding and forcing units

• US 8,636,330 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2010
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Nam, Jeong Man, Hwang, In Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): Jayne, Darnell
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gallego, Andres F
• Application Number:
  US12/659,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20100229593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 312/402, 312/319.1, 312/331, 312/404, 312/330.1, 312/332, 312/319.8, 624/49, 162/86, 403/344, 403/345, 403/364
• US Class Current: 312/402
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2210/0094 Drawer damping device with 2 relatively movable parts to convert kinetic energy
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/021 Sliding doors
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/025 Drawers
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2500/02 Geometry problems

Abstract

A refrigerator having an installation configuration of a freezing compartment door to be opened or closed in a semi-automatic manner. The refrigerator includes a body having a storage compartment, a door to open or close the storage compartment, and a door control device to complete an opening/closing operation of the door by providing the door with a thrust force.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a body;

a storage compartment defined in the body and having an open front side;

a door to open or close the open front side of the storage compartment;

a basket provided at the rear of the door;

a sliding unit provided between a lateral wall of the body and a lateral wall of the basket to support the door and the basket sliding between a first position in which the door and the basket are fully pulled and a second position in which the door and the basket are fully pushed;

a pair of forcing units installed opposite each other in the storage compartment applying force to the door and the basket in the direction in which the door and the basket move toward the first position or in the direction in which the door and the basket move toward the second position depending on positions of the door and the basket, the forcing units being provided below the sliding unit between the lateral wall of the basket and the lateral wall of the body;

wherein each forcing unit includes a cylinder and a rod installed to move relative to each other; and

a balance regulating unit linking the pair of forcing units to each other to allow simultaneous operation of both side ends of the door, the balance regulating unit comprising a balance regulating member formed of a rigid body to resist twisting and a pair of brackets to couple the balance regulating member to the pair of forcing units,

wherein the balance regulating member directly connects the cylinders of the pair of forcing units to each other and serves to maintain horizontal balance of the door during opening or closing of the door.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1,

wherein the forcing unit rotationally reciprocates in linkage with the sliding unit.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, further comprising:

a first shaft unit to couple an end of the forcing unit to the sliding unit to provide the end of the forcing unit with at least one degree of freedom; and

a second shaft unit to couple an opposite end of the forcing unit to the body to provide the opposite end of the forcing unit with at least one degree of freedom.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein:

the forcing unit includes a rod fixing portion provided in the opposite end; and

the second shaft unit includes a socket coupled with the rod fixing portion, a ball screw to allow movement of the socket, and a bracket to fix the ball screw.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein the socket includes a movement space to assure movement thereof on the ball screw.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein:

the forcing unit includes a shaft hole defined in the end; and

the first shaft unit includes a shaft boss rotatably inserted into the shaft hole and a shaft bolt fastened with the shaft boss to prevent the shaft boss from being released from the shaft hole.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the forcing unit rotationally reciprocates in linkage with the door and the basket.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1,

wherein the sliding unit includes a plurality of rail parts to slide relative to each other, and

wherein the lateral wall of the body is provided with a first bracket to which one of the plurality of rail parts is installed, and the lateral wall of the basket is provided with a second bracket to which the other of the plurality of rail parts is installed.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the bracket comprises a hole into which the forcing unit is inserted.

10. A refrigerator comprising:

a body having a storage compartment;

a door to open or close the storage compartment;

a sliding unit to linearly reciprocate in linkage with the door; and

a forcing unit to rotationally reciprocate in linkage with the sliding unit, the forcing unit comprising a cylinder and a rod partially inserted into the cylinder to move relative to the cylinder,

wherein the forcing unit operates the sliding unit via rotational reciprocating motion thereof, to move the door forward or rearward,

wherein the forcing unit and the sliding unit include a pair of forcing units and sliding units installed opposite each other in the storage compartment,

wherein the refrigerator further comprises a balance regulating unit linking the pair of forcing units to each other, to allow simultaneous operation of both side ends of the door, the balance regulating unit comprising a rigid body to resist twisting, and

wherein the rigid body directly connects the cylinders of the pair of forcing units to each other and serves to maintain horizontal balance of the door during opening or closing of the door.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein the forcing unit brakes the sliding unit to reduce an opening/closing operation speed of the door.